Secure wireless networks such as cellular networks and wireless local area networks are now ubiquitous. Wi-Fi™ wireless local area networks are the dominant form of wireless local area networks, and can be set up to be publically accessible and/or securely accessible. (Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance, a global non-profit industry association based in Austin, Tex.) Other wireless local area networks exist, such as Canopy broadband access networks, distributed by Cambium Networks of Ashburton, Devon, United Kingdom. Users of mobile devices, such as cellular devices, tablets and PC's with Wi-Fi connectivity, often wish to access secure wireless networks. There are methods to access secure Wi-Fi networks that involve both the user and the user device, which involve obtaining credentials (e.g. a network key) necessary for such access. Once accessed, the user device can typically re-access the secure wireless network when the user device re-acquires a signal from the Wi-Fi network using the credentials, which are typically stored in a profile in the wireless device. Wireless networks such as Canopy and cellular systems typically rely on a credential that is based on a unique number embedded by hardware in each mobile device and verified by a network security function that stores a list of authorized mobile devices.
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